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Opposition
Leader,
Nicaraguan president Ortega, and Prime Minister Musa address Belize on Belize’s Independence anniversary “In 26
years we have proven
that as a people we are capable of self-government, capable of making
difficult choices and capable of adapting to changing times. Together,
we can make the years ahead among our nation’s finest,” said
Prime Minister Said Musa at official ceremonies marking Belize’s 26th
anniversary of Independence since 1981.
Musa declared this
year’s celebrations as “the defining moment in our nation’s history
26 years ago.”
For Opposition Leader
Dean Barrow, this particular Independence celebration is extremely
important.
“It
is the last
before the next
occurrence of the 5-yearly event that is the fullest expression of our
democracy. I am talking naturally of free and fair general
elections—general elections that will come by March. General elections
that, I think, will mark the end of an era, the lifting of the long
nightfall, the beating back of the Gemini curse of incompetence and
corruption,” Barrow added, as the audience responded with loud
applause.
“Belize
fi all ah
wee? Not
completely. Not totally. Not as long as there are still huge pockets of
unemployed poor, or alienated youths, or marginalized single mothers.
Not as long as on the Southside of Belize City and too many district
towns, young men continue to drop like flies and murder most foul
stalks the land,” Barrow furthermore commented. “The usual
suspects principally responsible for our social rot and urban decay,
for the phenomenal rise in crime and violence, are too well known for
us not to hold hope high in thinking that we can confront and defeat
these scourges.”
One of the strongest
areas of emphasis during this year’s celebrations was our ability to
cope with hurricanes.
“Part
of being
independent,
part of being free, is the requirement for comprehensive preparation
for dealing with hurricanes… The pencil of God has no eraser. There is
this great boon in our location, in being this great Jewel in middle of
the Caribbean basin, but the price we pay is our susceptibility to
storms. Good husbandry, proper stewardship, wise management of our
resources means sufficient and sufficiently adequate hurricane shelters
countrywide,” the Leader of the Opposition commented.
This year’s special
guest,
Nicaraguan president Daniel Ortega—who reportedly joined other Central
American leaders in supporting Belize’s Independence back in 1981—knows
the reality of dealing with the devastation of hurricanes, as his
country was recently struck by Hurricane Felix – a storm that was
originally forecasted to make a direct hit on Belize.
During his 20-minute
presentation,
done in Spanish, Ortega emphasized the importance of saving lives
before material possessions. While he reported that Hurricane Felix had
taken the lives of 103 Nicaraguans, he recollected that in 1987,
another hurricane devastated Bluefields City. In the wake of the more
recent Felix, there are hundreds of thousands of people whose lives
have been affected. Still, President Ortega brought to Belize a message
of love and hope from his people.
What do hurricanes have
to do with Belize’s Independence? Barrow commented that, “It
is the kind of shortcoming laid bare by Dean and the near miss of Felix
that can make stocktaking on Independence Day somewhat of a mixed
pleasure. In the end, though, the notes of celebration, of triumph,
will also sound loudest, listed ultimately by our unbounded pride in
being Belizean.”
In his speech, Prime
Minister Musa
publicly expressed thanks to God for showing Belize mercy in the midst
of the recent hurricane threats.
“Just as
[Independence] is a
day of celebration, it is also a day of national consecration. First,
we thank Almighty God for having shown us mercy during Hurricanes Dean
and Felix. We suffered heavy losses with the passage of the former, but
no loss of life.
“At
midnight on
September 21st, 1981 our struggle for nationhood
climaxed with the lowering of the British flag and the hoisting of our
own,” Musa continued. “
Our infant nation awoke with eager anticipation of the possibilities
that came with taking our country into our own hands and our entry into
the world community of nations.”
But the biggest aspect of Belize that both leaders celebrated was the people who have made Belize what it is today. “Everyday, we hear of new feats of our people – in culture, in arts, in education, in technology, in enterprise. It is this that makes our pride so radiant, so transcendent, and so wholly justified,” said Barrow, as he recognized the notable achievements of the eminent Andy Palacio; Dr. Arlie Petters; and Wilfred Peters, Paul Nabor, and Florencio Mes featured in the recently celebrated Three Kings of Belize. “Belize is a country renowned for ethnic diversity. But after independence we did not pitch headlong into ethnic conflict like so many others did. Quite the opposite in fact,” said Prime Minister Musa. “To our ethnic mix of indigenous Maya, Mestizos, Garinagu, Creoles, East Indians, Chinese, Mennonites, we have added and embraced, people from the neighboring Central American republics, from Taiwan, from Haiti, from Nigeria, the United States, the United Kingdom and many other countries of the world.” Musa said that the country has moved significantly forward since Independence in 1981. Compare a few key economic indicators in the life of the independent Belize obtained from the Statistical Institute of Belize. In 1981 our population was 145,000; today it is more than doubled to over 300,000. In 1981 the gross domestic product was BZ$386 million. In 1997… it was $1.3 billion. Today 2007, it is $2.3 billion – a billion more in 10 years. “In 1981 the GDP per capita was $2,280. In 1997 it was $5,689. Last year the figure reached $7,801. The unemployment rate in 1997 was 12.7%. In 2007 it was down to 8.5%. “In 1981 our total exports amounted to $150 million. In 1997 it was $317 million. Today it is $536.4 million,” he reported. “We draw strength as an independent nation from these values side by side: Freedom for all, responsibility by all, fairness to all,” P.M. Musa asserted. At Friday’s ceremony, the emcee read congratulatory messages from Taiwan president, Chen Shui-bian and former US president, Jimmy Carter, whose last presidential term ended during the year of Belize’s Independence in 1981. Read More PETRO CARIBE INITIATIVE
NUDGES BELIZE CLOSER TO FUEL SELF-SUFFICIENCY The
Government of
Venezuela has entered into agreement with Belize and
other Caribbean states under the Petro Caribe Initiative. In the case
of Belize, Petro Caribe has already begun operations in Southern
Belize, at Big Creek.
Under the Petro Caribe agreement, Belize is to import fuel (gasoline and diesel) through a special credit agreement. The agreement calls for Belize to purchase fuel at 60% of invoice value payable within 90 days while the remaining 40% is to be paid to Venezuela over a twenty-three –year period at 1% interest rate. In addition, the agreement provides for a three year moratorium before payment begins. In the interim, the 40% savings from fuel acquisition can be used for human development projects to improve the living conditions of the Belizean people. Belize can also exercise the option of paying its fuel debt to Venezuela through the exportation of agricultural products. Venezuelan officials are now in Belize to begin the setting up of two fuel storage tanks, each with a capacity of 10,000 barrels. A tendering process has been set up to invite Belizeans to bid for the construction of two fuel tanks. Construction of the tanks should begin in December 2007, and should be completed approximately by June 2008. The two storage tanks are the first of four that are to be constructed at the Big Creek location. This venture will provide numerous jobs for Belizeans, both in the construction phase and in the subsequent administration of the facilities. Petro Caribe is an initiative of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Frías, who said, that the objective of Petro Caribe is to improve the lives of the peoples of the Caribbean by decreasing the impact of the rising cost of fuel, which affects every aspect of the region’s economy. Belize presently consumes 2.6 thousand barrels of fuel per day. Read More NOTICES-
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Lost Journal- Light Green Book w/Palm Tree on front. REWARD for return. rebecaribe@hotmail.com There
will be a NACNW
meeting this Saturday
Sept 29th at noon at the Palapa Bar, followed by a 'Northerners' meeting immediately after. Hope
to see you there!
Natalie
THOUGHT OF THE DAY "It appears we have appointed our worst generals to command forces, and our most gifted and brilliant to edit newspapers. In fact, I discovered by reading newspapers that these editor/geniuses plainly saw all my strategic defects from the start, yet failed to inform me until it was too late. Accordingly, I am readily willing to yield my command to these obviously superior intellects, and I will, in turn, do my best for the Cause by writing editorials - after the fact." - Robert E. Lee, 1863 |
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